


The Barber's Cats

by orphan_account



Category: Catwoman (Comics), White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe - Siblings, Crossover, Families of Choice, Gen, No Man's Land (DCU), Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-20 00:16:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3629547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal Caffrey is released after four years in prison, and Peter Burke goes to confront him with two agents in tow. He also ends up confronting Caffrey's sisters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Barber's Cats

There were three women sitting with Caffrey at the upscale restaurant where he had chosen to celebrate his release. Peter recognized all of them. One of the brunettes was the Bureau’s chief Catwoman suspect, Selina Kyle, and the redhead was a known associate of both Kyle and Caffrey, Holly Robinson. The second brunette was Sister Mary Magdalene of St. Christina’s, who had once distracted the agents sent to pursue Caffrey into the convent by protesting that the sisters had _rights_ and were _owed respect._

Agent Mizrahi had been leading the investigation then and had bowed to Sister Maggie’s indignant protests while Peter had tried to convince him that Caffrey was just the sort of man to charm sisters under vows, no matter what the young and pretty sister said (and she’d be an obvious target, too). Here was his proof, seven years later.

Jones and Berrigan were at his heels as he approached the table, and Caffrey glanced over at them. He raised his glass with a roguish grin. “Agent Burke! And who are your friends?”

“Agent Jones and Agent Berrigan,” Peter said curtly. “And yours?”

“My sisters,” Caffrey answered smoothly, and _that_ put a different spin on his previous encounter with Sister Maggie and his known association with Kyle and Robinson.

“Pleasure,” Kyle said coolly. Robinson snorted, and Sister Maggie smiled thinly.

Caffrey smirked. “Here to give me the speech, Agent Burke? _I’m watching you_ , etcetera, etcetera.”

“Basically.”

“Well I'm sorry to ruin your plans, but I’m moving back home.”

“And where _is_ home, Caffrey?” Peter would have to warn the agents nearby.

“Gotham,” he said with a reminiscent sort of smile, which he was more than capable of faking. But Kyle primarily worked in Gotham, and work similarly to Caffrey’s, albeit less skillful, had appeared in Gotham fifteen years ago. It was entirely possible, but it was also suspicious.

“Convenient that. I hear most of the city’s infrastructure was destroyed in No Man’s Land, and much of the artwork there is lost or damaged now. And it just so happens to be Neal Caffrey’s hometown.”

“So it does,” Caffrey said as though he hadn't heard the first part at all.

Kyle ran a hand through her hair, now much shorter than in the last photo he’d seen of her. “Neal has a job waiting for him, working for the Martha Wayne Foundation as an art restorer and appraiser. Mr. Wayne is keen to avoid anyone taking advantage of his city, and he knows that Neal is the best at what he does.”

“You must be proud,” Peter said sardonically.

“We are.”

To Caffrey he said, “Did you send in your resume, or did Wayne seek you out?” Now he had to contact _Bruce Wayne_ on top of it all, and rumor had it that the man was a skirt-chasing halfwit lucky to inherit a fortune at the age of eight because he otherwise would have starved to death. Peter doubted it would go off without a hitch.

“Selina recommended me for the post.”

She smoothed out her skirt. “Mr. Wayne is a friend.”

“I’ll bet.”

Kyle only raised an eyebrow, but Robinson flushed indignantly. “Neal has served his time. You have no right to come here to threaten him — or to insult any of us. You’d better leave.”

“That’s funny, Ms. Robinson, considering your recent efforts with Kate Moreau. What, she need a partner in crime while her boyfriend was locked up?”

“Kate and I have broken up,” Caffrey answered, too calmly for it to be anything else than rehearsed. He had been a modern day Romeo before he was sent to prison.

“And Kate and I were working in tandem with the Justice Society. If you want to know more of our activities, you can apply to Wildcat at Grant’s Gym for more information.” She stood up. “Let’s go. My appetite’s gone.”

“Finish your wine at least. It’s a celebration,” Sister Maggie chided, and Robinson sat back down.

“Long time no see, Sister Mary Magdalene.”

“Yes. It’s been seven years since you tried to force your way into a convent, but it feels like just yesterday, Agent Burke. My mother superior reminded me of it during our long isolation, and her memory of the day is as fresh as ever.”

“Give her my best.” Peter hadn't liked the old bat, but he could acknowledge that she probably hadn't known what was really going on. It had to look bad when she came in and saw one of the young women under her protection fighting it out with two government agents.

She smiled perfunctorily. “Of course.”

“If you're going to stay a while, we can ask for more chairs. As Maggie says, it's a celebration, and I'd hate for you to go without, Agent Burke. You as much as anybody deserves to toast to my freedom,” Caffrey said. He smiled at Jones and Berrigan. "And you as well, Agent Jones, Agent Berrigan. I'm opposed to allowing a lady stand while I sit."

"Neal has old-fashioned notions," Robinson said dryly.

"I'm fine standing," Diana said shortly.

"Are you sure?" Caffrey asked with what he thought was a charming smile. _Talk about barking up the wrong tree._

" _Positive,_ " she said firmly.

Kyle sipped her wine as elegantly as a guest at one of her boyfriend's parties. "Then you might want to excuse yourselves. You're making the waitstaff nervous."

Peter glanced around, and sure enough, the waitress was staring at them from behind a potted plant. "This is your second chance, Caffrey. Don't blow it."

"I won't," he said confidently. "Agents."

"Mr. Caffrey," Jones said politely, and Diana scowled.

"Goodbye," Sister Maggie said, and the agents walked away from the siblings. They heard a burst of laughter when they were halfway across the restaurant, and Peter glanced back to see Caffrey enthusiastically recounting some story — about him, no doubt — while Kyle and Robinson laughed and Sister Maggie shook her head.

 _What a family_ , he thought, and he went home to his.


End file.
